


What It Means To Be A Hero

by The_White_Wolf



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,436
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25866442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_White_Wolf/pseuds/The_White_Wolf
Summary: After his torture at the hands of Adrian Chase, Oliver is visited by his mother, who talks to him, and inspires him to be better, and to pursue the woman that he loves. (one-shot)
Relationships: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen, Moira Queen & Oliver Queen
Comments: 11
Kudos: 25





	What It Means To Be A Hero

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by Thor and Frigga's conversation in Avengers: Endgame.

He had told the others to leave. Adrian Chase was right. He always seemed to be right or was already ten steps ahead of him. Chase seemed to know him better than anyone else. _That's because it takes a monster to know a monster._ A fragment of Chase's voice seemed to mock him in his mind.

Oliver limped to the cot, and laid there, he closed his eyes. His entire body ached, inside and out. He didn't bother with medical attention. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. All the blood on his hands, the crimes he committed. The family and friends he lost along the way. All because he perverted his father's dying wish to right his wrongs.

"I'm a monster that is deluding myself into believing I'm a hero. That I am standing shoulder to shoulder with Barry, Ray, Mari, Stein, or Laurel." He mumbled, hoping that confessing would lessen his pain. He wasn't a hero. He was the kind of monster they stopped. And he corrupted them, otherwise, he would be in jail. It's no less than what he deserved. After all, he killed people because he liked it. He admitted it to Chase.

Oliver felt movement nearby, he opened his eyes and turned his head to see something moving near the door. He could just make out the blonde hair. "Go away, Felicity. It's done. We're done. I'm done."

"I'm not Felicity Smoak." A voice that he never thought he would hear again. A voice that belonged to another casualty of him surviving to make a mockery of his father's wishes.

"Mom?" He managed to rasp out.

She gave him a watery smile that didn't reach her eyes. "My beautiful boy…" She almost sobbed. "You haven't had an easy life since The Gambit was destroyed. And it seems like you have had to endure more than your fair share lately."

His lips quivered, as he sank on the hard thin mattress. "I deserve this. I'm a monster."

He felt his mother's hand turn his face to her. His mother's voice sounded hoarse but no less adamant. "No, Oliver. You have just fallen on hard times. You just need people that love you to help you get back on your feet."

"I have corrupted them long enough," Oliver muttered. He gave out a hiss as he moved slightly. "The other heroes like Laurel and Barry should have taken me into the police. Quentin should have arrested me, and let Roy go. Thea was almost killed because of my actions."

"We have all made mistakes, Oliver. God knows that your father and I were never perfect. Not even your friends like Barry that you hold in such high esteem are perfect." She then gave her son a knowing look. "Not even Dinah Laurel Lance is perfect."

Oliver shook his head, "I'm a monster. I kill for pleasure. I've littered the streets with blood and bodies. That's why Laurel left. She saw me for who I was after I killed Darhk. Not as a hero, but as a murderer." She never said that, but her departure after Darhk was killed sent the same message.

It was why he had sworn John, Ray, Thea, and Sara to secrecy. No one could know that his perfect life was with Laurel. He didn't want to see the pity in her gorgeous green eyes.

"No, you are my son. And I could not be more proud of you." She said rubbing his back gently, the motherly ministrations felt like a balm to his soul. "You have come so far from being The Hood."

"I'm a failure," he said. "I thought that I was honoring Dad's memory. Your memory, Tommy's. Everyone that I have lost. Instead, I have sullied your memories."

Moira's lips upturned slightly, "So you are a failure." Her words stung. But like everything else he has been forced to endure, as some form of atonement, it was justified. "I'm not finished." His mother said as if she could read his thoughts. "Every person that has ever lived has failed. You are no different. And now you have to ask yourself are you going to continue to fail, or rise back up. Show this Prometheus, show your friends that _you are a_ _Queen_ , and we don't give in. That you are a hero."

"I'm not worthy."

"You are, and people have been telling you this since day one. Laurel has always been on your side, Oliver. She has left, but perhaps she needs a reason to come home?"

"Everyone leaves me. And I'm the common denominator."

"I didn't leave you, dear. I died to keep you and your sister safe. So that you could live. And I would do it a thousand times over. You inherited the same fortitude. Only on a much grander scale. You think of Star City as your family. You give your blood, sweat, and tears for this city because you love it. It's inevitable that people will hate you for it."

"What about all those that I killed?"

"You can't focus on the past, Oliver. You will drive yourself mad. Learn from your actions, and strive to be better. To do that you need someone that inspires you to be a better person."

"Felicity…"

"Is not who I am talking about." She raised her brow, daring him to contradict her. "Laurel has been the angel on your shoulder since you both met. She has known you at your best, and at your worst. Has been stung, and been aided by you. You need a shoulder to lean on more than ever."

"But…"

"I said talk to her." His mother spoke in a tone that was not to be argued against. "She has left, I'm not disagreeing with you, but it's your turn to bring her home, just like she did for you. It's your chance, to be honest, and open with her."

He wrapped his arms around his mother and rested his head against her shoulder. Her motherly embrace was comforting, yet bitter-sweet. "I love you, Mom."

"And your father and I love you too. No matter your faults, never forget that." She then patted his back. "It is time to take your first steps after taking your stumble."

Oliver opened his eyes and saw John and Felicity at the door. He turned to see that his mother was gone. He sighed, she was gone but not forgotten, and her words of wisdom, her advice even from the afterlife, or from his dreams was still advice worth heeding.

Oliver managed to rise from the cot and grabbed the dark green hoodie, shirking it on, ignoring the searing pain in his chest. He limped towards the door, only to feel John's large hand on his shoulder. "Where are you going, man?"

"I need to do something," Oliver said as he walked past the pair and headed to his motorcycle. He had to speak to Laurel. He needed her.

"Where are you going, Oliver?" Felicity asked, moving to his bike. "You can't just shut everything down, and run away."

"I'm going to see Laurel." He said, knowing the reaction he would get from his teammates.

"You're what?" Felicity asked, her voice raising an octave. "You can't leave the city defenseless!"

Diggle placed what seemed like a calming hand on their friend. "What Felicity means is that Laurel has her own life now. She left Star City. Laurel is no longer apart of our team. That was her choice."

"I need to talk to her," was all he said before he revved his bike. He didn't care about their insecurities regarding Laurel. All that mattered was that they talked. They haven't talked, not really, not since she was in the hospital bed after her surgery. The night where she confessed her love to him, and he didn't say anything back.

How could he have been so stupid? Laurel didn't leave because she thought he was a monster, she left after she had just opened her heart to him, and believed that his heart still belonged to another. To Felicity.

The look Thea gave him when he had sworn her to secrecy should have told him what he needed to know. He ignored the signs. He was done. He wasn't going to keep running away from Laurel. Instead, he was going to chase after her.

He walked the bike away from Felicity, and pulled on his helmet, before he sped out of The Bunker, heading towards Blüdhaven. After about an hour of riding towards the city, he finally arrived and parked his bike near the building. He knew the address because Thea had visited Laurel frequently. It wasn't abnormal, because the two most important women in his life were best friends.

Oliver walked to the duplex and knocked on her door.

No answer.

He then looked for a spare key under the mat, and all the other usual places, but found nothing. Oliver fiddled with the knob of the door, before moving towards the window, and jimmied it open.

He looked around, and it felt like home. It felt just like her apartment in Star. The candles in the fireplace, everything about it felt like home. And that's how his loft could have felt if he was open and honest with her.

He sat there for what felt like hours in the dark. Between the quiet and the fact that for the first time in months, he felt like he was home, he was able to think that perhaps after he talked with Laurel, he could escape the labyrinth that Chase had erected around him. Laurel could be his ball of string, his way to escape from Chase's mind games.

Eventually, the door opened slightly and the next thing he knew, her baton was thrown in his direction, with a little effort, and ignoring the blinding pain, he caught the baton. "Laurel. Laurel, it's me, Oliver."

The light was turned on, and he looked at Laurel in her new suit, the same suit that she wore when she helped fight against the aliens. "Ollie, is something wrong? Dad, Thea… Sara?" It was then that her eyes moved down to his slightly bloodied sweatshirt. His wounds had opened back up.

"Oh god." She muttered as she rushed to her bathroom, hauled out her first aid kit into the sitting-room, and instructed him to remove his hoodie. She took out antiseptic and started cleaning his wounds. "Who did this to you? Prometheus?"

"Yes." Oliver hissed, as she wiped across his open wounds. "He said that I'm a monster. Convinced me that I am a remorseless killer."

Laurel scowled, "He's trying to get in your head. Malcolm, Ra's, and Dark are monsters. Not you." The way she defended him with such strength and assurance reassured him. She had been willing to go into bat for him in court, against her own blood, this was no different for her. Laurel was always in his corner. His mother was right Laurel had always been there and he had taken her for granted. Never again, he promised himself.

"I saw my Mom." He said while Laurel started suturing the wounds caused by the arrows. "Mom said the same thing as you, and that I'm a hero."

Laurel gave him a wry look, "I've been telling you that for years. I'm just glad that it's finally sinking in."

"I'm an idiot, Laurel." He said, gently bringing her up, to sit next to him. "I should have been honest with you before you got hurt, and should have reciprocated your feelings when you opened your heart to me in the hospital."

He watched as her eyes started to water before she stood up and moved towards the kitchenette. "You don't have to lie to me to ask for my help, Ollie. I deserve better than that." She then filled up a glass of water for him. "I don't have much in the way of pain relief, unfortunately."

"I'm not dangling anything, Laurel. Out of all the people in my life; Thea, Felicity, John, Barry…" He closed his eyes, before opening them and looking up at Laurel, who was listening. Not adding her own two cents, she was just letting him talk. "You are the only one. You are the only person I trust completely. I love you."

"What about Felicity?" She found herself asking, in almost a whisper.

She and I… We haven't been together since she found out about William." Laurel slowly sat next to him once again. "I swore the others to secrecy about something that I should have told you about. But I was scared because I wrongfully thought you left because you thought I was a monster for killing Darhk."

"What's the secret?"

When I was captured by the Dominators, they showed me my ideal world. Laurel, it was you and me sharing our lives together."

"Oh, Ollie. I didn't leave because I thought you were a monster. I left so that you and Felicity could live your lives together. I was letting you go." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Isn't that what people say? If you love them you have to let them go?"

Oliver wrapped an arm around Laurel, and brought her into his embrace, and pressed his lips to her slightly damp hair. "I'm so sorry." He whispered to her.

"Why are you telling me now?" She asked after a moment of comfortable silence. The type of silence he never had when he was with anyone else.

"I wanted to be completely honest with you, Laurel. What I endured at the hands of Chase, and my conversation with my mum, reminded me about what's important. _About who is important._ And that is you, Pretty Bird."

Laurel got up and marched to her room, where he followed and watched as began packing her clothes and belongings into her suitcases. "What are you doing?"

"I'm packing. Blüdhaven isn't my home. And right now, my _home_ needs me."

Oliver gave her a small smile and helped her start packing. "You don't have to do this for me."

"I do." She said. "You did the same for me when I came to you about HIVE. But whatever this is…" She said gesturing between the two of them. "We take it slow."

"We will take it slow," he agreed." He then moved to her closet to take out her belongings. "I'm sure Star City will be happy to see their Canary back home." He said, only to see a small smile grace Laurel's lips. It was the most beautiful thing he had seen.


End file.
